Toyota's Scion: Slick Features in A Budget Box

By Daren Fonda

The back of the Scion xB looks as if it had been chopped off in a body-shop accident. But take the runt for a spin, and you may be smitten. Scion is Toyota's new youth-oriented brand, and the xB, starting at $14,165, delivers a combination of style, pluck and Toyota-backed quality that teenagers (or parents footing the bill) may find tough to beat. The xB is another reason Toyota is on track for a record fiscal year. In its first half, the six months ending Sept. 30, global revenues rose 8% to $75.4 billion, and profits soared 23% to $4.8 billion. The xB's boxy shape lends the car a roomy feel inside, and its cloth upholstery, uncluttered cockpit and attention to tactile detail raise the standard for such a low-priced car. Toyota crammed it with features: antilock brakes, power windows, air conditioning and a six-speaker stereo. Rough spots: the car's suspension jolts the spine, and the noisy 108-h.p. engine won't win many races, although it's peppy enough in city traffic. Since Scion's launch on the West Coast in June in a phased U.S. rollout, Toyota has sold more than 4,000 xBs (and more than 2,300 of the hatchback xA), exceeding the carmaker's initial expectations and suggesting that this pug's legs may be longer than they look. --By Daren Fonda